[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19567-19568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9642]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding for
a Petition to List as Endangered or Threatened the Contiguous United
States Population of the North American Wolverine
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-
day finding for a petition to add the contiguous United States
population of the North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) to the
List of Threatened and Endangered Species. The Service finds the
petition did not present substantial information indicating that
listing the wolverine in the contiguous United States may be warranted.
DATES: The finding announced in this document was made on March 31,
1995.
ADDRESSES: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning this
petition should be submitted to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 100 North Park Avenue, Suite 320, Helena, Montana
59601. The petition, finding, and additional information are available
for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at
the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kemper McMaster, Field Supervisor (see
ADDRESSES section) (telephone 406/449-5225).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the Service make a
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species
presents substantial scientific or commercial information to
demonstrate that the petitioned act may be warranted. This finding is
to be based on all information available to the Service at the time the
finding is made. To the maximum extent practicable, this finding is to
be made within 90 days of the date the petition was received, and a
notice regarding the finding is to be published promptly in the Federal
Register. This notice meets the latter requirement for the petition
discussed below.
The Service has made a 90-day finding on a petition to list the
North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) in the contiguous United
States. The petition, dated August 3, 1994, was submitted by the
Biodiversity Legal Foundation, Boulder, Colorado, and the Predator
Project, Bozeman, Montana, and was received by the Service on August 8,
1994. The petitioners requested that wolverine populations across their
entire known historic range in the 48 contiguous United States be
listed as threatened or endangered.
The wolverine has a holarctic distribution. Historically, in North
America, wolverines occurred in the boreal forests throughout Alaska
and Canada with the southern protion of the range extending into the
contiguous United States (Has 1987). The petitioners provided
information (e.g., Wilson 1982; Hash 1987) suggesting that wolverines
historically occupied an extensive range in the contiguous United
States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa,
Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; and that it
has been extirpated from all but 10 of these States.
In making a finding as to whether a petition presents substantial
commercial or scientific information indicating that the petitioned
action may be warranted, the Service must consider whether the petition
contains detailed narrative justification for the petitioned measure,
describing past and present numbers and distribution of the species.
Information regarding the status of the species over all or a
significant portion [[Page 19568]] of its range also is examined.
Moreover, the Service must determine if the information presented in
the petition and available in its files definitely documents threats
under the following five listing factors: (1) Destruction,
modification, or curtailment of habitat or range; (2) overutilization
for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (3)
disease or predation; (4) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms;
and (5) other man-made or natural factors affecting its continued
existence.
For most States, particularly those east of the Rocky Mountains,
the petitioners only cited historic reports of wolverines to support
their delineation of wolverine distribution in the contiguous United
States. The petition provided no information to confirm the accuracy of
these historic reports. The petition presented no empirical data to
assist the Service in assessing the historic or present population
status of wolverines in those States where it possibly occurs or
throughout the historic range suggested by the petitioners.
Additionally, the petition contained little documentation of threats to
the wolverine over all or a significant portion of its contiguous
United States range. No substantiating data was provided to demonstrate
that the asserted threats had resulted in a significant decline in
wolverine numbers.
The Service reviewed the petition and the included information, as
well as other information available in the Service's files. The Service
has concluded that neither the petition nor the information available
in the Service's files contained substantial information to indicate
that listing of the wolverine as threatened or endangered in the
contiguous United States may be warranted.
The Service will continue to accept information on Gulo gulo luscus
and Gulo gulo lutenus through the status review initiated in the
September 18, 1985, Animal Notice of Review (50 FR 37958). Both
subspecies will remain as category 2 candidates in the States shown in
the November 15, 1994, Animal Notice of Review (59 FR 58982).
References Cited
Hash, H.S. 1987. Wolverine. In M. Novak, J.A. Baker, M.E. Obbard,
and B. Malloch (eds.) Wild furbearer management and conservation in
North America. Ontario Trappers Assoc., North Bay. pp. 575-584.
Wilson, D.E. 1982. Wolverine. in J.A. Chapman and G.A. Feldhamer
(eds.) Wild mammals of North America. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press,
Baltimore, MD. pp. 644-652.
The Service's 90-day finding contains more detailed information
regarding the above decision. A copy may be obtained from the Field
Supervisor (see ADDRESSES section).
Author
This document was prepared by Lori H. Nordstrom (see ADDRESSES
section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, and Transportation.
Dated: March 31, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-9642 Filed 4-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
